The Official Skybox Thread: Take 2

shogun · Postby **shogun** » December 10th, 2018, 7:29 pm

^I believe CB radios and walkie talkies are restricted. Don't quote me on that though.

And as this is the question portion of the ched, just wondering if anyone ever brought in a boosted board, or if there are any (by a decent company) available locally?

Kenjo · Postby **Kenjo** » December 10th, 2018, 9:07 pm

d.d.s. wrote:Anyone ever brought in walkie talkies (more on the toy side)? Are they restricted or not?

You may need to get a letter of approval from telecommunications authority in barataria so contact them tomorrow and find out if you have bought ones with an approved frequency . You would need the receipt and item description of the walkie talkies

adnj · Postby **adnj** » December 10th, 2018, 9:09 pm

If it transmits a signal, it will require an equipment certification from TATT. Some people have gotten away without one but in general, anything except a cell phone will be impounded by Customs.

You may want to apply before purchasing your radios so that you can submit the certification with your invoice to your freight forwarder.

https://tatt.org.tt/Forms/EquipmentCertificationApplication.aspx

d.d.s. wrote:Anyone ever brought in walkie talkies (more on the toy side)? Are they restricted or not?

shogun wrote:^I believe CB radios and walkie talkies are restricted. Don't quote me on that though.

And as this is the question portion of the ched, just wondering if anyone ever brought in a boosted board, or if there are any (by a decent company) available locally?

d.d.s. · Postby **d.d.s.** » December 10th, 2018, 9:18 pm

Didn't made the purchase yet. Wanted to be sure first. Thanks for info guys.

car · Postby **car** » December 11th, 2018, 9:26 pm

Jewlicious wrote:Anybody using WebSource and ship with USPS? I know they usually collect their bulk shipments and it creates a delay but wondering what the time frame is like during this season. How long after being marked as delivered till WebSource actually sends the we received package email?

Up to max 10 days.

car · Postby **car** » December 11th, 2018, 9:27 pm

d.d.s. wrote:Anyone ever brought in walkie talkies (more on the toy side)? Are they restricted or not?

Restricted. You need a license. If you have a ham radio license you can use that.

pugboy · Postby **pugboy** » December 11th, 2018, 9:32 pm

The gangs up east pos Piccadilly etc use the motorola ones

carluva · Postby **carluva** » December 11th, 2018, 10:02 pm

M_2NR wrote:
2NR Smurf wrote:Some skybox companies have an arrangement with the local authorities where the state tax is not charged when shipping to the freight forwarder address.

QFT
It is essentially this wrt transexpress/trinebox.

Same for aeropost

Postby **nervewrecker** » December 11th, 2018, 10:14 pm

Jewlicious wrote:Anybody using WebSource and ship with USPS? I know they usually collect their bulk shipments and it creates a delay but wondering what the time frame is like during this season. How long after being marked as delivered till WebSource actually sends the we received package email?

got all mines already.

wagonrunner · Postby **wagonrunner** » January 4th, 2019, 9:41 pm

At what US$ rate do skyboxes pay OPT, VAT and Taxes?
They sell customers US$1 at TT$6.81 (1lb shipping is US$4.87 / TT$33.21)
I would prefer be billed in US$ on my credit card.

Central bank sells US$1 at TT$6.79
2 cents TT per each US$, by how much US$ per annum?

2015: "There are 31
Courier Companies registered and bonded in Trinidad
and Tobago and is estimated that the value of packages
cleared by these Courier Companies exceeds $1 billion
a year. "

altec · Postby **altec** » January 15th, 2019, 11:36 pm

think i will be looking for another provider instead of websource....bought 48 USD item (6 oil filters) which weighed 6 lbs....cost 439 to clear... about 130 % the cost of the item....

Jade_Inc. · Postby **Jade_Inc.** » January 16th, 2019, 5:21 am

Island Express Shipping
Look them up On fb

altec wrote:think i will be looking for another provider instead of websource....bought 48 USD item (6 oil filters) which weighed 6 lbs....cost 439 to clear... about 130 % the cost of the item....

adnj · Postby **adnj** » January 16th, 2019, 7:59 am

altec wrote:think i will be looking for another provider instead of websource....bought 48 USD item (6 oil filters) which weighed 6 lbs....cost 439 to clear... about 130 % the cost of the item....

Do you know how much VAT and Duty was charged of that $439?

hydroep · Postby **hydroep** » January 16th, 2019, 9:16 am

altec wrote:think i will be looking for another provider instead of websource....bought 48 USD item (6 oil filters) which weighed 6 lbs....cost 439 to clear... about 130 % the cost of the item....

If that $ 439.00 is TTD$, it's actually a very reasonable charge. At 30% duty (assuming they are automotive oil filters), OPT etc. my provider would charge around TTD$ 750.00.

If is USD$, yuh get rob...

cryotec · Postby **cryotec** » January 16th, 2019, 9:43 am

altec wrote:think i will be looking for another provider instead of websource....bought 48 USD item (6 oil filters) which weighed 6 lbs....cost 439 to clear... about 130 % the cost of the item....

assuming $439 is the price for taxes + shipping given in TTD, using websource's calculator, $163 of that was for the shipping aspect and the other $276 was the taxes charged by the government (customs/vat/OPT). Going with another air provider is not going to solve that charge from the government. Honestly, the only option to save some money is to go with a ocean freight provider but the savings is really just in the form of not having to pay OPT tax, the VAT on that OPT tax and slightly less for shipping, think $1usd/lb so in your case, you may save roughly $60.

EDIT: Here is a breakdown of that $439

Postby **Dave** » January 16th, 2019, 9:49 am

What was the USD price per filter?

SLVR1 · Postby **SLVR1** » January 16th, 2019, 11:39 am

When I compared certain items, the skybox makes no sense if the item can be locally sourced e.g. an infinite switch for a stove proves cheaper locally. However, other items say a pressure washer (residential) may prove cheaper and even tires. You really need to compare prices and then decide what to do. While ocean freight is a bit cheaper, you have to wait longer for the item so that is a trade off based on your needs. Also, IMO the savings via ocean is negligible as pointed out above as I prefer to get my items ASAP to check for any issues like damages etc. Maybe a really big item that is not needed in a hurry is fine for ocean.

Soundstream_626 · Postby **Soundstream_626** » January 16th, 2019, 12:13 pm

Anything over 3lbs, use seabox. twice the wait but much cheaper.

cryotec · Postby **cryotec** » January 16th, 2019, 12:56 pm

Soundstream_626 wrote:Anything over 3lbs, use seabox. twice the wait but much cheaper.

Do you know if they charge you fees like fuel surcharge, brokerage fees, insurance etc? If not, they are really competitive until you make purchases that exceed 15 lbs because that is when Bluesky is better due to lower per lb rate.

Soundstream_626 · Postby **Soundstream_626** » January 16th, 2019, 1:17 pm

There is a flat service charge of 20ish ttd iirc but there`s no Online purchase tax and no fuel surcharge. $17 ttd for the first pound and 15ttd per pound thereafter. Not sure if they went up after my last order, can`t find my invoice.

altec · Postby **altec** » January 17th, 2019, 9:48 pm

6 USD per filter oem for sportage

stev · Postby **stev** » January 17th, 2019, 10:59 pm

ordered 2 sets of shocks/springs...one brand was tagged as 'Hazmat' as it contained non flammable gas (air ride)...the other brand wasnt tagged (normal coilovers).
apparently some seaboxes dont take packages with the Hazmat sticker (Tropical express told me that, not sure how true).

hazmat tagged box was sent via air and the other sent via sea. both were around 60lbs, air was $1,800 to clear, sea was $800.

messaged the shipper and they said that it's some new law where they have the right to tag their packages based on it's contents...some liability thing. meh

adnj · Postby **adnj** » January 18th, 2019, 8:51 am

stev wrote:ordered 2 sets of shocks/springs...one brand was tagged as 'Hazmat' as it contained non flammable gas (air ride)...the other brand wasnt tagged (normal coilovers).
apparently some seaboxes dont take packages with the Hazmat sticker (Tropical express told me that, not sure how true).

hazmat tagged box was sent via air and the other sent via sea. both were around 60lbs, air was $1,800 to clear, sea was $800.

messaged the shipper and they said that it's some new law where they have the right to tag their packages based on it's contents...some liability thing. meh

Hazardous material in shipping includes any gas under pressure or potentially under pressure.

Postby **Dave** » January 18th, 2019, 9:11 am

And especially if coming by air. Special flying day and extra fee for wrapping.

xtech · Postby **xtech** » January 20th, 2019, 7:02 am

What would you guys do if you got a package which was sent in error to your address?

greenlantern12 · Postby **greenlantern12** » January 20th, 2019, 7:04 am

xtech wrote:What would you guys do if you got a package which was sent in error to your address?

Nothing is sent in error it was sent by God

adnj · Postby **adnj** » January 20th, 2019, 7:43 am

xtech wrote:What would you guys do if you got a package which was sent in error to your address?

Refuse acceptance or hire an attorney.

maj. tom · Postby **maj. tom** » January 20th, 2019, 10:45 am

Don't open the package. Just call the company. Someone just made a simple mistake somewhere.

xtech wrote:What would you guys do if you got a package which was sent in error to your address?

Jonathan · Postby **Jonathan** » January 22nd, 2019, 10:51 am

bluesclues wrote:I have confirmation from tropical express couriers that the seabox service is unaffected by the 7% tax. Will try to get official confirmation from seabox tomorrow.

An item of $20 usd value was charged $17ttd in opt tax. This is unacceptable. As with shipping, duties and the tax, my total to receive my item is $190ttd. So i am paying 100$ in tax for a $150 item in addition to the $100 for shipping. And impsbert dont find this unreasonable.

But again. What is it to sacrifice a pawn to get a bishop? This is the end of the line for the pnm, for imbert, for rowley and these old fogies with their outdated thinking and bogus management of our resources that have been destroying this country. This is the last time they will hold government office in their lifetime.

I know I'm bumping an old post, but I was just told by Tropical Express that the online tax exemption for sea freight is supposedly only for businesses and not individuals?

What has your experience been with them in this regard? It sounds like a load of crap to me IMO.

cryotec · Postby **cryotec** » January 22nd, 2019, 12:13 pm

Jonathan wrote:
bluesclues wrote:I have confirmation from tropical express couriers that the seabox service is unaffected by the 7% tax. Will try to get official confirmation from seabox tomorrow.

An item of $20 usd value was charged $17ttd in opt tax. This is unacceptable. As with shipping, duties and the tax, my total to receive my item is $190ttd. So i am paying 100$ in tax for a $150 item in addition to the $100 for shipping. And impsbert dont find this unreasonable.

But again. What is it to sacrifice a pawn to get a bishop? This is the end of the line for the pnm, for imbert, for rowley and these old fogies with their outdated thinking and bogus management of our resources that have been destroying this country. This is the last time they will hold government office in their lifetime.

I know I'm bumping an old post, but I was just told by Tropical Express that the online tax exemption for sea freight is supposedly only for businesses and not individuals?

What has your experience been with them in this regard? It sounds like a load of crap to me IMO.

it is. bought some things via sea, but not with them, and i did not pay any OPT.